Control mechanism for honing machines



H. J. CALDWELL 2,381,572 CONTROL NEcHANIsM FOR HoNING MACHINES Aug. 7,1945. j

Filed April' 1:5," 194s 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 7, 1945. H. J. CALDWELL2,331,572

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR HONING MAHINES I F Filed April 194s4'sheets-,sheet 2 Aug. 7,1945.

H. J. CALDWELL CONTROL MECHANISM FOR HONINGl MACHNES Filed Aprill 15,1943 4 sheets-sheet s Aug. 7,1945. H. J. -CALDWELL CONTROL MECHANISMFOR`IHONING MACHINES Filed April l5, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 wrs sloL-zuw, www@ N ,M www NW Patented Aug. 7, l1945 chine equippedwithcontrolmechanismy OFFICE "CoNTRoL MECHANISM Fn KONING "ffH'arry J.Caldwell, Rookffora, `111., assigpor to kyBarnes Drill Co., Rockford, Ill. a corporationof Illinois, l

Application April 15, 1943, serial No. 483,111

l(Citi- 34) 14 Claims.

Y Thef'invention relates to honing machines and In re particularly toimproved control mechanism v for such' machines.

Onefobjectgof the invention is to provide imyprovedlcontrol mechanismfor automatically controlling the operations ,of la honing machine suchasy the relative reciprocation' of the tool landwork, 'the expansion andcontraction ofthe tool and the disassociation offthel tool and workat'-thel termination of the honing cycle, which mechani'snifis jsimplerconstruction, less Vexpensiveto lmanufacture and easier to maintain inproper operatingcondition than the control mechanismsheretoforeaviiable. i

*Another object is toprovide control mechanism of the" above generalcharacter which'can be adjusted .very quickly and easily for 'any classof workvwithin the capacity of thermachine.

Still another object is to provide reciprocation `controlling mechanismparticularly suitable for honing machines adapted to be drivenselectively to traverser the toolfthrough either long Aworking strokesof uniform length.. .Y Aiurther object -is rto provide controlmechanismfoperable'to concentrate the action' of the honing toolatany`selected area of the work to or short )removehigh spots, ltaper orother localized irregularities.;

vOther .objects and advantages ofthe invention will become.apparentfrOmrthe following detailed description of the ypreferred embodimentvillusltratedinnthe accompanying drawings in which:

VFigure l is a perspective view of a honing vmaembody- ,i

ily applied to other types of honing machines asKVI'wellf'astovothercomparable machine tools. It

."willfalsobe understood that various modications 'and-adaptations maybemade intheform, construction and arrangement of the parts of theim'-,/proved control mechanism without departing from thespiritand scope ofthe invention as Fig. 2 vis a sectional view taken in a vertical planesubstantially on` the line 2-2- of' Fig.' l

vs howingdetails of the improved control mecha- .,nismp.- v f y f 1 Fig.34is a sectional view taken in a horizontal plane substantially on theline 3--3 of Fig. 2. f \Fig.'4 is a front View ofthe control mechanism.Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken ina horizontal fpianesubstanna11yon the1in@ sf-s of Fig; 4.

Figf 'is a'view partly in section 'takerri'n'v a vertical planesubstantially on the line 6 6 of Fig. ,7 'is'a diagrammatic view showingtheposiof an operating cycle. l

tions of Atno. control elements at the termination u Fig. 8 is a'diagrammatic view showing the prosil `tions of the control' elements atthe beginning of an operating cycle but before the tool and' work .areoperatively associated.

expressed'by the'appended claims.. Y

" Ref'er'ring to Figs. 1 and 10 ofthe drawings, the machine selected toillustrate the application ofthe'invention comprises a hollow, verticalcoliirnnfiflv mountedon a base I2` and having on its 'front faceapair'offparallel guide members I3 l'forming a guideway for a verticallyreciprocable tool'isupport orlhead I4. The head, in this instance,isequipped with a single rotatable spindle I5 `which carries aconventional internal honing tool I6 atl the end Voan elongated tubulardriver I'I. A motor M (Fig, 1 0) mounted in the column` IIfis'arran'ged'to drive the spindle through the 'medium ofjasplin'ed shaftI8 and suitable gearing IQ, a part of which is enclosed in the upper endof thejcolumn and theremainder of which is enclosed inthe head III.r l

An adjustable work table'20, mounted on the "fmachine base below thehead I4, isadaptedto support "a workpiece W, such as a, cylinder, inposi- "tionto'loe operatedon by the honing tool I6. In the particularmachine illustrated, the honing operation is-Iperformed by rotating andsimulta- Aneously'reciprocating Vthe tool while the workv is heldstationary. 'Reciprocation of the `tool is effected`, in this instance,by pressure fluid 'actuated Ajecting fro'muthe rear of the head.

Pressure uid is supplied to the cylinder 2| by a pump' P driven vby amotor M-I herein shown as connected in a parallel circuit with thespindle j driving motor M; The pump is arranged to draw `fluid'irorn areservoir R and-to rdeliver it under pressure by'way of a ductA 25 to atwo-position reversing valve V which directs the fluid selectively toeither the upper or lower end of the cylinder wh'ile connecting theother end of the cylinder to well-known manner to expand and contractthe honing tool I6. The delivery of fluid to the action valve V-I.

adapted to be shifted to a tool expanding position by solenoid SOL-I vatively connecting the shaft 3I with the head. In

the exemplary form of the mechanism, the connecting means .comprises anendless chain 35,

vrunning over a sprocket wheel 3B, splined to the shaft 3|, and a secondsprocket wheel 3l (Fig. rotatably supported in the upper end of the vmachine column. The sprocket wheels are positioned so that one run ofthe chain is substantially f parallel to the lreciprocatory path of thehead and tuator 21 is controlled by a conventional two posi-Y `Theinvention provides control mechanism of 'ordinarily begins with the head-in a retracted position and the tool contracted and withdrawn asubstantial distance from the work.A Upon manipulation of a cycles'tarting control device,-in this instance a push button actuatedswitch' S (Fig. 10), a relay Ris energized to close a switch `R--I I'and thereby completev a current supply cir.-

cuit vfor the motors M and M-L The relay also `closes a switch R-I 2 tocomplete a holding circuit for itself. This circuit includes anautomatically operable stop switch S--I, an inching switch S-2 and amanually operable stop switch S-3. The relay R is maintained energizedandthe motors continue to run after the starting switch-is released. i;l y

Coincident with' the starting of the pump motor, the head I4 is shifteddownwardly tocarry the tool I6 into the work., As the tool enters thework the control mechanism acts to shift the valve V-I to expand thetool and thereafter actuates the pilot valve PV periodically to causethe tool to be traversed repeatedly in a working stroke from oneend ofthe work to theother.` .After a predetermined interval or apredeterminedtnum- `ber of working strokes, the tool is contracted byappropriate actuation of the valve V--I and then is withdrawn from thework byfshifting the head one of the chain links in the parallel run islsecurely anchored to a rigid arm 38 projecting rearwardly from theVhead. The reciprocatory movemen-ts of the head are thus transmittedthrough the chain and the sprocket wheel 36 to the rockshaft 3I and tothe controldisk 3D mounted there- `side-.ofthe flange is a cam lug 42(Figs. 3 and 6) adapted tocoact with a follower 43 carried on one arm ofthe bell crank lever 44 supported by a pivot pin-'45 on an extension 46o'f the bracket 33. The

other `end' of the lever is connected by a link 4'! anda rod 48 withtheactuating member of the pilot valve PV. A spring 4S secured at one endt0 :the lever andat theother end to a stationary part of the supportingstructure urges the follower againstthe cam. The arrangement is suchthat the spring tends to shift the pilot valve into a position to eiecta downward movement of the head.

`suitable dogs including a lower limit dog 50 and an upper limit dog 5I.The dogsarel adjustably securedin a circular T-slot 52 in the face ofthe disk and are arranged to project radially beyond the edge of thedisk for alternate engagement with a forwardly extending nnger 53 formedon a radial arm `54 rigidly anchored to the flange 4I tions required toproduce the operating cycle above described. mechanism `comprises ,acontrol member herein shown as a circular disk'30 adapted tobeoscilla'ted or rocked rst in one direction and then in the otherdirection in timed relation to thereciprocation of the head I4 andthrough' an arc accurately proportioned to theA range of movement of thehead. To this end, the disc is fixed on the outer end of the rockshaft3| operatively connected with the head. The shaft is journaled yin abearing 32, carried on a bracket 33, located in a recess opening in oneside of th'e machine column. As shown in Fig. 2, the bracket is attachedto a frame member 34 which may be bolted or otherwise removable securedto the column so that the entire control assembly may be installed in orremoved from the recess as a unit for convenience` of assembly and`maintenance. having-a circular opening or'window alined with A coverplate 34" In its preferred form, the.4r

of the cam sleeve.

s In theinitial downward movement of the head at...the` beginning of anoperating cycle, the cam lug 42 and arm 54 occupy the position shown inFig, 8v while in subsequent downward working strokes these parts occupythe position shown in `Fig..9. `As the head approaches the `end of thedownward stroke, the dog 50 engages the linger 53 to swing the arm andcam lugto the position shown in Fig. 10, thereby shifting the pilotvalve `to reverse the direction of movement of the head. As the toolapproaches the upper end of-theworking stroke, the dog 5I engages `thefinger 53 and shifts the cam lug to the position shown in Fig. 9

'to interrupt the upward movement of the head By., reason of theiradjustablemounting, the.

disposed substantially at right angles to therod 8i and ,projecting atthe -frontyoflthe machine. An eccentric pin 81 (Fig. 5) ontheinner endof the` shaft engages in a peripheral groove in a collar tls-fixed onthe rod. l Rocking movements ofthe shaft 86 are thus effective to shiftthe rod endwise and thereby move the associatedclutch actuating elementstoclutch engaging position.

VWith the above arrangement the clutch teeth maybe engaged to coupletherockshaft and the cam' sleeve in any selected position of `the head. Inother words, the coupling may be eiected to initiate short-stroking" atany point in the range of travel of the tool and, consequently, in anyselected area of the workpiece upon-.which the tool is operating. Sincethe cam sleeve .responds directly tothe movementsV of the` head whencoupled with the` shaft,k and the; pilot valve is reversed atvery shortintervals, the-reciprocation ofthe head is confined within relativelynarrow limits. As the valve operation is determined by the movementsv ofVthe head, the. length of the strokes imparted thereto'willremainnuniformrat all times. v'

It will be apparentfrom thehforegoing that the inventionprovidescontrol-mechanism of novel and` advantageous constructionparticularly suitable-.for use with honing machines and comparablemachine tools.k The mechanism isextremely, simple in constructionY andconsequentlyl inexpensive to manufacture andeasy to maintain in properoperating condition. AAdjustment ofthe mechanism for diiferentclasses ofwork is yeffected` lwith `the -utmost Nrconvenience by merely shifting aset of controldogs with reference to a graduated scale on a convenientlyaccessible; control disk. The `invention also provides a-novel controlmechanism whereby selected areas of the work. may beshort-stroked-Ttoremove high spots, taper-or other irregularities.eration. the toolystrokes are maintained uniform without -any elort'onthe part ofithe operator, thusinsuringaccurate finish'of the work.

Iclaim as my'invention: y' l Y' 1." The combination'in a `honing machinehavingtool and work supports'one of .which is Lrecip rocable bypower?actuated*meansjof` control mechanism for the lpower actuated:`means including, a shaft rocked `in timed'relatio'nfto'the movements ofthev rec'iprocable` support, a control member having'a hub portionrotatably mountedon said shaft formovement between two alternatepositions,=said:member beingopn` erative in oneposition to initiatemovement of the reciprocable support in one direction and inV the otherposition to `initiate movement of `the support in the oppositedirection, afdiskd-lxedV on said shaft adjacent said control member, apair of radially kprojecting dogs mounted on said disk, and av radiallyextending arm rigid with said control member having a ringer projectingforwardly at one side of said disk for engagement by said dogsalternately whereby the member is shifted between its two positions,saiddogs being adjustable with respect to eachother to vary the Inv ithisop-l tiatemovement ofthe support iny the. opposite direction, a controlmember mounted `fol'cvvardly of said cam member and oscillated about .anaxis coincidentwith the axisvof rsaid cam member in timed relation to`thelreciprocation of the support, a pair `of radially projecting dogsadjustably mounted onthe -front face vof saidrcontrol member, ,and anarm rigid with said cam. member having anger projecting forwardlybetweensaid dogs for `alternateengagement ,thereby in the oscillation of thecontrol"member/whereby to rock said cam member between said two,positions.

3. In ahoningmachine, in ,combination a support for a honing .too1,a.pressure iiuid operated operated actuatortfoperative to` shift one ofsaid supports toward and from 'the-other support, a second valve forcontrollingltlieadelivery of pressure fluid to theI lsecond actuator,control mechani'sm including a shaftadapted to be rockedrst inonedirection and-then-in the other vdirection in timedy relation withrthe movements ofsaid one support, ,a `control "member loosely y,mountedon saidshaftand'having cam Velements effective to shiftsaid valves,and-dogs mounted on, said shaft 30, operative to impartfthev-movements-of `the shaft 5. tracted.

. 44. Y Ina .honing machine, in` combination, a support foravhoningtool;powerfactuated meansl on said support for; expandingand,contracting the tool,-f;a-wsupport;for. work to beI operated. on `by4the 4o tool; a secondpoweractuatedmeans adapted to shifteoneoffsaidsupports `toward and-,fromA the othersupport',`,ashaftadapted Atoloerocked iirst in.l one direction i and; then; in the4 other direction in;timed A'relation-,with themovements of; said onel .l, supporti-a sleevememberlooselymounted `on said.

shaft haying oneqcamlement yoperative .to control said4 -firstfpoweractuated 4means and another cam;,element `;operati-vegtoy control saidsecond power actuated means means Y for imparting the `movementoif,isaidfshaftftosaid `sleeve member 'including'fa control; disk .fxed on ,saidshaft, and a-pairgof: @dogs vmounted on. said diskllforindividual-adjustment relative .toyeach othery Vand to said camelements.to determine the range of movement fof saidqonexsupport ,andvto time the expansionrrandI contraction of the tooly With re-SpECt,theretQ--;sf v t," i y 5.@ In` ahoning-machine, in; combination, asupport :fora honing tool.,E power actuated means on said-support forexpanding and contracting the toolfaysupport forworktovbeoperatedpn bythe tool, afsecondpower actuated means ;adapted to shift; oneoffsdfi'suplorts toward and from the other support, .acontrol memberadapted` to be other directifll,A in. .timed relation with theymovementsbf said; onefsupportcam meansfor con trolling;the extenty anddirectionof movement of saidu one .supporty by ,said 3second poweractuated meansgsaid cam; meansv additionally acting to 4 rocked,--irstuinone; directiony andthenin theone ,support andytoV :timerthefex-pansion and: con--l traction;otlthe'toolwitlrrespectthereto;A iA 6. In ahoning machine; invcoinbination-,ifazsupport for ahonngAtool;'a.s1.1p1sxort foriwor'k tof-be operated on. by the ftooLfpowe'rlac'tuated'means operative f tof.y move `one :of fsaidnzsupportsatowardand fromxthefoth'er ssupport; controlmejansfor ansangleproportionedtotnerangefof movement said power actuated-meansiineludingi acam niemberadapted? toi be: yrockedbetween two .positions to' control the directionoff-movement fof said'r one supportatieontrolf member adapted to 'berocked about r a' common 'axis withesaid cam. member' iinv timed-`'relation'. with Si thej movementsf'fof: :said one support,` atpaizr ofyradiallyprojectingf dogsmounted i' onl said' @control ffm'ember, an-arlm rigid with said .camr member? alternately engageable by saiddogswhereby saidr camy member is vshifted between its.twofjpsitionsganddetent means frictionally engaging said cam'member tohold .it in either shifted position. y

7. In a honing'machine having tool and work supports one of which isreciprocable by power actuated means,r control `mechanismr` for ,saidpower actuatedv means comprising, Iin combination, a rotatably supportedshaft, means operative to rock said shaft first in onej direction andthen in the other direction in timed relation to the movements of saidone support and through an angle proportioned to the extent'of movementy of the support, a control disk fixed on said shaft, a control membersupportedv for rotation about the axis of said shaft, means actuated vbysaid member upon rotation through a relatively small angle to controlthe direction of movement of said Aone support, a radially projectingelement rigid with said member,1a pair of radially projectingdogsmounted on said disk inv position to engage said element alternately.and thereby impart rotative controlling movements to said member, saiddogs being spaced apart to define the limits of the Working strokeofvsaid one support, and means operative to establish a direct drivingconnection between said shaft and said control member whereby themovements of said head are confined within a range substantially shorterthan said working stroke.

8. In a honing machine having tool and work supports one of which isreciprocable by power actuated means, control mechanism for said poweractuated rmeans comprising, in combination, al rotatably supportedcontrol 'member adapted to be rocked through a relatively small angle tocontrol Vthe direction of movement of said one support, a secondrotatably supported control member adapted to be rocked through an angleproportioned toy the range of movement of said one supportand in timedvrelation therewith, control elementsmounted on said second memberinspaced relation engageable alternatelywith said first member to rockthe latter in opl posite directions and thereby confine the movements ofsaid one supporthwithin a predetermined working range, and other meansfor establishing a direct driving connection between said memberswhereby to confine the movements of said one support withinr asubstantially shorter range.

9. In a honing machine having tool and Work rsupports', one of which isreciprocable by power actuated means, control mechanisml for said poweractuated means comprising,V yin combination, a rotatably supportedcontrol member adapted to be rocked throughv a relatively small angle tocontrol the direction of movement of said one-support, a lsecondIrotatably supported contra-member adapted.: to be rocked-'through ofsaid .one support and inI timed relation'.Stiller-e-` with,kvcontrol'elements mounted-A` on sadfsee'ond member inspaced: relation`engageablev alternately withl said first' member to rock the latterinsopposite directions and thereby /coniine the'y move# ments' ofsaidronesupport'withinfa predetermined working range; clutch meansengageable `toidriv-y member is :adapted-Pto respond# directlyto-tnemovements i of saldi 'one support andi thereby lcon"- fine suchmovements within a narrow-rangegand means operable manually to engagesa-idfclutch means: at anyselected-poiiit rin the" 'working range ofsaid*one-support.by 1 Y i 10. Mecnanismrorcontrolling thefreoiproea.

tion r of a machine element comprising, m 1' roombination, a shaftadapted to be rocked i'lrst in one direction and then in the otherdirection in timed relation with the movements of the machine element, afirst control member fast on said shaft, a second control memberjournaled on said shaft, a pair of dogs mounted on said rst member inspacedrelation, means 'on said second member adapted to be engagedalternately by said dogs to shift the v4member between two controlpositions, a clutch Aelement supported on said first control member formovement axially of the shaft, a cooperating clutch element on saidsecond control member, 'spring means yieldably urging the movable clutchelement away from the other clutch element, and means .operable manuallyto shift the movable clutch elementinto engagement with the other clutchelement and thereby establish a direct driving connection between the`shaft and said second control member.-

11. Mechanism for controlling the reciprocation of .a machine elementcomprising, in combination, a shaft adapted to be rocked first in onedirection and then in the/other direction in timed relation with themovements of the machine element, a first control member fast on saidshaft, a second control member rotatablyy supported on said shaft, apair of dogs mounted n said rst member in spaced relation, means on saidsecond member adapted to'be engaged alternately by said dogs to shiftthe member between two `control positions, a clutch element carried byeach of said control members, and

vmeans forl engaging said clutch elements to eson said second memberadapted to be engaged alternately byy said dogs to shift the memberbetween two control positions, and other means operative to establish adirect driving connection between said shaft and said second controlmember. f

13. Mechanism for controlling the reciprocation of a machine elementcomprising, in .combination, a control member adapted to be rocked rstin one direction and then in the other direction through an angleproportioned to the, normal range of movement of the machine eleitsnormal range.

1 14.Y Mechanismfor controlling the reciprocation' of`a machine element.comprising, in combination, a control member adapted to be shifted rstin one directionand then in the" otherdirectionthrough a .rangeproportioined Atothe nor'- mal range of movementof the machine elementIand in timed relationto sucli'llmovement, a second control memberadapted to be shifted in the same direction as said rst member butthrough a substantially shorter range, vmeans actuated by said secondcontrol member in its movements for controlling the direction ofmovement of the machiner'elemenhspaced dogs carried by said rst membervoperative alternately to shift said second .member as the machineelement approaches the limitsof its normalrange of reciprocation, andmeans-:operable to couple said second member ydirectly'to said rstmember for movement therewith, said ysecond member operating to confinethemovements ofthe machine element Within a range substantially shorterthan its normal range'of reciprocaticn.

' HARRY J CALDWELL.

